HUMAN Resources Minister M. Saravanan must stop his threats against unionist J. Solomon, said the National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia (Nufam) today.

It censured Saravanan for lodging a police report against the general secretary of the National Union of Bank Employees (NUBE) for alleged slander and misleading the public yesterday.

In a statement, Nufam’s secretariat said unions have the right to raise issues concerning workers in the country.

“It is unlawful for the minister to use the police instead when he should be directing enforcement to investigate the complaints made by Solomon,” it said.

“We call upon the minister to cease such unlawful tactics and unconstitutional threats against those who voiced out for the workers.

“Why is the minister making it personal? Does he not want to find out the truth or is he really turning a blind eye to the matter? This is purely a move to muzzle unions which are voicing out on behalf of the workers.”

NUBE, in a statement a few weeks ago, has called out the ministry for being lax in enforcing the standards for the living arrangements of employees.

This came after the ministry announced that the enforcement of Act 446 governing workers’ housing standards will be postponed until the end of the year following representations from the manufacturing sector, which had asked for more time in view of the Covid-19.

Nufam said a union’s role is to highlight the working conditions and problems faced by workers in the country and it is the minister’s duty to investigate the complaints, and not making threats against union leaders.

“We have labour laws and the right way is for the minister to summon the complainant to find out more about his remarks, and not use the police or threat tactics,” it said.

“It is a typical union-busting and harassment move against union leaders.”

Nufam implored Saravanan to immediately cease such threats or intimidation against any union leader. – May 19, 2021.